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The conflicting feelings collided within me, and I didn’t know how to even begin navigating them.
The part of me that knew Nik in Europe felt connected to him still and had a sense of longing to return to those good times. But the other part that had been wounded by his actions and reluctance to let me lead a normal life was still aching.
He lifted me from my life, locked me away, and forced me to marry him. I couldn’t just forgive and forget that, but that other piece of me wanted to believe his intentions had truly been in my best interest.
I had never found myself in such uncharted territory before, and I was completely on my own to try and figure it out.
Still, I was touched by his need to get back to me. He seemed genuinely remorseful, and while it wasn’t anything more than a bandage over a wound that needed stitches, it felt like a start.
Unsure of how to address it, I threw back the last of the whiskey in my glass and sighed. “I can’t say I’ve ever had a guy fight that hard to keep me in his life. Not that I condone it, of course.”
Nik snickered at that, and he let that silence linger between us again.
When he drew in another breath, I met his gaze and found a more genuine, apologetic gleam in his eyes. “I know I went about everything the wrong way, but I never meant to hurt you, Anastasia. Believe it or not, I’ve never been in this situation before, either.”
“I know,” I returned gently, feeling my desire to fight him dissolving in that moment, thanks to the whiskey’s influence. “I just wish you had gone the more traditional route and asked me out instead of dragging me to your boss’s mansion.”
“Would you have agreed to see me again if I had?” Nik asked, voice laced with a tinge of hope.
Unable to ignore the stir in my chest, I nodded. “I think I would have.”
He didn’t say anything for a beat, as if letting my confirmation sink in.
Before either of us could speak again, Nik leaned in and crashed his lips against mine.
Despite being caught off-guard by the kiss, the booze in my system put me at ease, and I let myself soak in that sensation. The affection seemed to trigger those old feelings I had tucked away inside myself, and after its long absence, I suddenly realized just how much I had missed the feeling of his lips.
Chapter 12 - Anastasia
I was never one to let myself need any man, or to even let a single one have that kind of power over me, but being reacquainted with his mouth sent all of that into question.
There was something so addictive about his lips, almost like they carried traces of that night we spent together. As if they contained everything I ever wanted and needed, and he was the only man who could give it to me.
Of course, I wouldn’t admit that to Nik directly, but my own eagerness to kiss him back surely gave me away.
As I ran my fingers through his hair, Nik hummed his approval, wasting no time while he pulled me onto his lap and placed one hand on the small of my back while the other rested against my thigh, waiting for the chance to be used.
Sitting on his lap with my legs draped over his, I knew there was no turning back. It was on then, and neither of us seemed interested in stopping.
My stomach flip-flopped as he melded our lips with such mind-numbing precision I nearly forgot how to breathe altogether.
Giving in to how badly I needed to feel more of him and to be reminded of how intense our chemistry was, I let myself melt into him. Surrendering my resistance to get a taste of him again.
Nik gave my thigh an affectionate squeeze as he held me there, kissing me like he’d never get the chance to again. As if it was our last night, and we’d lose out on the opportunity. It was fleeting and spontaneous, only making it more exciting.
Thinking back to the first time we hooked up, those memories spurred my arousal, making heat pulse between my legs. It burned within my belly and had me more eager than ever before. It had been one of the best nights of my life, and something about it made me want to get back to it. To relive that bliss and accept it so completely.
As the affection heated up, our hands wandered, gripping wherever we could find purchase. That mutual urgency moved between us, turning every kiss less calculated and every touch desperate for more.
My head was spinning as I shuffled to straddle him, feeling as his hands supported my backside, giving me a curious squeeze. Impatient, I reached for his shirt and lifted it over his head to drop it to the floor.
At the same time, Nik worked my shirt off to expose the soft bralette underneath. Without missing a beat, he let his hands travel beneath it, cupping my breasts as he reconnected our lips with a renewed sense of desire.
I hummed my breathless moan against his lips and took in the sensation every time his palms brushed against my nipples. When I tipped my head back, he took advantage of the opportunity and painted my skin with messy kisses.
Sighing my approval, I brought my hips closer, able to feel just how hard he already was. The mental image was enough to spark more of that excitement within me, and in that moment, I couldn’t think about anything else.
Everything seemed to fade away, irrelevant in comparison to how worked up we both were.
